The Art Monastery Getaway offers all the program opportunities of a contemplative retreat or an arts residency program, with the freedom to take your time, create your own schedule, and just enjoy.

Walks in the mountains, dips in the river, fresh local food, time for meditation, massage therapy, yoga and much more. Your hosts are a team of professional artists, who offer you classes and workshops in singing, drumming, theater, and dance, cooking and visual art. No better way to awaken to your senses, end the week feeling revitalized and be ready to dive back into your life with passion and inspiration.

Delve into new creative skills and/or work on your own project. Share what you’ve created at the end of the week or simply enjoy creating day by day. Combined with amazingly fresh food, great wines, a supportive community, Italian culture, time to yourself, and the beautiful mountains, it’s going to be a powerfully wonderful week.

Join us!

 Dates

Arrive August 1^st, Depart August 8^th, 2015

 Cost

$1,500/person for double occupancy room, all-inclusive

%10 Deposit required by May 15.

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT %10 off full payment received before May 1.

 Location

Caramanico Terme, Abruzzo, Italy

 Accommodations

Room & board included

One 90-minute massage

 Food

All meals provided

Prepared by the Art Monastery Chef, sourced locally

Vegetarian and vegan options available, allergies can be accommodated

 Housing

Accommodations at the monastery are comfortable but basic. There is a computer room with wifi, but the thick stone walls of the building keep us from being able to offer wifi access in your rooms. Bathrooms are shared, there is no TV, but the views are stunning. Most importantly, the shared experience of this Communal Living style is a beautiful, profound experience, and core value of the Art Monastery Project.

But if you’re looking for even more luxury, we can place you at an upscale B&B within walking distance, for an added cost, where you’ll still be able to participate in the rest of the Getaway activities. Let us know!

Each day you can choose from a variety of activities and classes, or simply take the day to yourself to walk in mountains and be by the river.

 7:00 am-8:00 am: Morning Practice

Feel free to join our guided practice sessions, do your own thing, or catch up on some sleep! We will offer guided meditation, contemplative dance/movement, and singing.

 8:00 am-9:00 am: Breakfast

Graze your way through local delicacies—fresh fruit, eggs, bread, oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, juice, and fresh-brewed Italian coffee. Join us for a family-style picnic meal, eat alone outside in the sunshine, or with the others in the warm, morning-lit kitchen. Let your morning inspire your whole day.

 9:00 am-12:00 pm: Get Moving, Get Inspired

Mornings will include guided outdoor activities. A slightly different adventure each day, you’ll get to know the local area and culture, take advantage of being in the middle of a national park, and get plenty of sunshine and fresh air. Guided activities include light hiking, trips to the surrounding towns, bicycling, visiting local organic farms, yoga, and walks by the river.

 12:00 pm-1:00 pm Lunch

Our chef will prepare a fresh meal to nourish your body and your soul. All foods are sourced locally. Meals will include local meat, whole grains, colorful vegetables, fresh greens, blackberries picked right off the bushes, and much more.

 1:00 pm-3:00 pm: Siesta

When in Abruzzo… do as the Abruzzese do! Reading, writing, sleeping…whatever will nourish you most. Take this time to yourself.

 3:00 pm-6:00 pm: Time to Create!

This is your time to reconnect with your creative self! We will offer classes in Theater, Dance, Singing, Drumming, Painting and Sketching, and Writing. As the week unfolds, each person can work individually or in a small group to explore creative ideas. Build towards a final product, or use it as a time to simply acquire new skills and express yourself.

If you so choose, you will have an opportunity at the end of the retreat to share what you’ve created throughout with group. You are the artist, this time is your canvas!

 6:00 pm -7:00 pm: Rest and Reflect

Take this time to walk, journal, rest, and reflect on the day before the evening activities begin!

 7:00 pm-9:00 pm: Dinner

In traditional Italian style, we will share a big sit-down meal. Time to enjoy good company over delicious, hand-crafted food, unlimited local wine, and a starlit summer night sky.

 9:00 pm-10:00 pm: Celebration

Each night we will celebrate the day by engaging in various activities, including drumming, singing, dancing, evening walks, wine and local liquor tasting, and local cultural events.

The Art Monastery Getaway takes place in the rural mountainside of Caramanico Terme, Abruzzo. That’s Caramanico in the photo above, and the big building all the way at the left end of town is our monastery!

Please plan to arrive in Abruzzo August 1 and depart August 8.

 To/From Most International Destinations

With most international airlines, the cheapest flights to Italy go through Roma Fiumicino International Airport. From there, we recommend ProntoBus: a clean, reliable bus service that takes you directly from the airport to Abruzzo (2 hours away). The bus runs 10 times a day, for only 23 euros. Here’s their webpage. Look at the itinerary from Fiumicino (Rome International Airport) to Torre de Passeri. The Getaway team will be ready to pick you up from Torre de Passeri.

 To/From within the EU

If you’re flying from elsewhere in the EU, some airlines have cheap flights directly to Pescara, less than an hour from the monastery. If you’re flying into Pescara there are multiple public transport options to the Getaway in Caramanico. Let us know and we’ll help you choose…

 To/From elsewhere in Italy

If you’re considering to extend your vacation with a little more travel within Italy before or after the program, let us know–we’re happy to help choose your itinerary. Buses to Rome are easy and convenient, the “scafa” train station is very close, and Pescara is a major transport hub less than an hour away.

$1,500/person for double occupancy room, all-inclusive

%10 Deposit required by May 15.

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT %10 off full payment received before May 1.

Please wire or transfer payment to:

Art Monastery Project
509 31st St. #201
Newport Beach, CA 92663

California Credit Union
701 North Brand Blvd
Glendale, CA 91203

Account Number 000709453914
SWIFT Code (or BIC, for international transfers) CALBUS66
Routing Number (for domestic transfers) 322078464

OR pay via Credit Card

We now officially accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards. These can be processed either via email (if you feel comfortable sharing that information) or via telephone. Please call Raphael at +1 845 379 1851 Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm New York City time (EDT).

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to let us know!